Joel lyons



(No Model.) J. LYONS.

Boot Stretcher.

No. 229,156 Patented June 22, 1880.

F164" 5" 1 Z L Inventor:

v Jym ne y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOEL LYONS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN G. KINGSTON, OF SAME PLACE.

BoOT -STRETcHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,156, dated June 22, 1880,

Application filed April 17, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownt hat I, JOEL LYONS, of Bufialo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on a Boot-Stretcher; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will ena- 1o ble others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has general reference to bootstretchers; and its object is the production of an implement capable of stretching the toe and I 5 instep as well as lengthening the toe, and to accomplish all this by the operation of a single screw, in a manner as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings already mentioned, which serve toillustrate my said invention more fully, and form a part of this specification, Figure l is a side elevation of m yim proved boot-stretcher. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional eleva- 2 5 tion of the same. Fig. 3 isa sectional plan in line 00 m of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a transverse sectional elevation in line 3 y of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the operating-wedge detached. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sole-plate.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

A in said drawings represents the last of a boot-stretcher. This last consists, essentially,

of a body, made, by preference, of wood, and a metallic sole, B, secured to the last by screws, 8230., in any convenient manner. This sole has in its upper surface a longitudinal groove, (1, and in the ball part two side grooves, D D,

4 respectively.

The last A has a longitudinal groove, E, corresponding with that of the sole-plate B, and a recess, F, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Within the groove 0 of the sole-plate and the groove E of the last operates a wedge, G, Fig. 5, consisting of two side pieces, H H, Fig. 3, and an incline, H, the point J of which projects somewhat beyond said sides, so as to form shoulders J, for the object hereinafter 5o referred to.

(No model.)

On the under side of the incline H is a bridge-piece, H, at or nearly at right angles to the plane of the incline H, said bridgepiece connecting the sides with said incline. In this bridge-piece is a slot-hole, Fig. 2, through which passes the shank K of an operating-screw, L, said screw passing through a nut, M, consisting of a cylinder having a screw-threaded aperture sidewise through its body.

The screw L swivels in the slot-hole in said bridge-piece 11, while its nut M oscillates in the'last, so as to adapt itself to the various positions it attains in relation to the wedge G and the line of oscillation of said nut M.

In the instep part of the last A is a passage, at or nearly at right angles to the plane of the incline H, for the reception of the instepstretcher N, consisting of a button-shaped head having a circular shank, N, passing through said aperture and resting with its lower end upon said incline H.

Into the grooves D in the sole-plate B are placed the toestretchers or bunions O 0, having the edges of their shanks P P inclined to the longitudinal center line of the last, so that when the wedge G is pushed forward it will cause the bunions to move outward at right angles to the line of movement of said wedge G.

In the toe part of the last A there is a passage tor the reception of the toe-lengthener Q,

having its shank Q constructed to rest against the shoulder J on the wedge G.

In the rear part of the groove 0 operates a counter-pusher, R, the shankIt of which bears against the heel of the sides H H, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In this shank there are a series of apertures, B, into which is passed a pin, S, to lock said counter-pusher in any desired position, if desired.

In operation, the screw L, being revolved in the proper direction by the handle T, causes the wedge G to move forward toward the toe of the last, and thereby to push the bunions 9 5 O O, as well as the toe-stretcher Q and instepstretcher N, outward and up ward, thus increasin g the size of the boot or shoe operated upon in all directions; but since such an extensive stretching will be but seldom required, prowithout the other auxiliaries.

vision is made for stretching any particular part of the bootby simply removing those parts of the stretcher not required and actuating the remaining part or parts precisely in the same manner as the entire combination.

In case the toe-stretcher alone or in combination with the instep-stretcher is being used, I prefer to set the counter-pusher out in such position that when the said instep-stretcher is in its lowest position the last willjust fit the shoe, so as to give the largest possible range to the action of said toe or instep stretcher. In this caseI prefer to lock the counter-pusher in position by the pin S.

When it is desired to lengthen the shoe or boot without materiallyincreasing its other dimensions, I shall use the counter-pusher alone,

I therefore remove the bunions, toe and instep stretcher, andscrew the screw L in as far as the wedge G will allow. I then insert the counter-pusher, and, the lastbeing placed in the boot, screw saidscrew backward. This will cause the counter pusher, which bears with its shank against the heel of said Wedge, to move outward; but resistance being mainly offered by the counter of the boot, the effect willbe that the entire last will move forward in said-boot, and thus produce the desired result in an expeditious manner.

If the rear part of the balls should require stretching, nothing remains to be done but to turn the bunions end for end.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States 1. Ina boot-stretcher, the combination, with the last A, of the removable toe-stretcher Q, removable bunions 0 O, and removable instep-stretcher N, the single compound wedge G, and the single screw L, as described, whereby all the stretchers are operated by the actionof said single screw and compound wedge, substantially in the manner as and for the use and purposespecified.

2. In a boot-stretcher, the combination, with the last A, ofthe sole-plate B, bunions O O, and instep-stretcher N, said bunions and instep-stretcher being operated by a wedge actuated by a screw operating in a plane different from that of said wedge. as and for the object specified.

3. In a boot-stretcher, the combination, with the removable bunions O O, of the wedge Gr, swiveled to and operated by a screw, L, said screw having a nut pivoted within the last A and operating in a plane different from that of said wedge, whereby by the forward and backward movement of said wedge the said screw is capable of varying its angnlarityin accordance with the position of said wedge, as stated.

4:. The compound wedge consisting of the side pieces, H H, and the central incline, H, in combination with the pivoted screw L, as stated.

5. In a shoe-stretcher, the combination, with the last A, of the bunions O O and the toe-stretcher Q,- said bunions being operated by the sides and the toe-stretcher by the forward end of a moving wedge, G, as and for the object indicated.

6. Iii a boot-stretcher, the combination, with the last A, having a groove, E, of the sole-plate B, having grooves G D D, the bunions O 0, counterpusher R, and the wcdge Gr, having the beveled sides H H and shoulder J as specified.

7. In a boot-stretcher, a movable counterpusher, in combination with the wedge Grand swiveled screw L, having a pivoted nut, M, as and for the object specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOEL LYONS.

Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK, FRANK HIRscH. 

